DRC article on Flemings transfer

[OldTimer]

Men's basketball: UNT brings in transfer from Oklahoma State

09:21 AM CDT on Saturday, May 6, 2006

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

One of the top high school players to come through the Dallas area the past few seasons is headed to North Texas.

Roderick Flemings, a former first-team all-state selection from DeSoto, has signed a national letter of intent and will transfer from Oklahoma State. The 6-7 small forward will have to sit out the 2006-07 season, but will have three years of eligibility remaining at UNT.

Flemings was widely considered to be one of the top 50 players in the country following his senior year at DeSoto and was a member of The Dallas Morning News All-Area Team for the 2004-05 season.

“Signing [Roderick] will give us a great start on recruiting for next season,” UNT coach Johnny Jones said. “He has the ability to make a huge impact on our program.”

Flemings spent just one season at Oklahoma State before he was dismissed from the team. He averaged 3.1 points in 28 games.

Flemings scored a season-high 12 points in his first collegiate game against UT-Arlington and grabbed a career-high eight rebounds in the fifth game of his career, a showdown with nationally-ranked Boston College.

Flemings’ playing time dwindled the rest of the season. He was dismissed from OSU late in the season and did not participate in the Cowboys’ loss to Miami in the first round of the NIT.

Flemings did not respond to a message seeking comment.

“Roderick is a phenomenal player who has yet to reach his potential,” said Davale Arnold, Flemings’ former summer league coach. “His season at Oklahoma State was a shock for him. He was used to getting minutes and being productive and lost some of his love for the game. He still has a lot to learn on the court.”

Arnold said Flemings struggled with the transition from playing in the post in high school to playing away from the basket in college.

Flemings’ former coaches believe that he will eventually make that transition in college and develop into a top player at UNT.

“Roderick has a lot of talent offensively,” DeSoto coach Chris Dyer said. “He could play in the NBA if everything else in his game comes together.”

Flemings showed that potential during his high school career and led DeSoto to the state finals as a senior. He scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the championship game.

Flemings averaged 14.6 points and 7.4 rebounds as a senior at DeSoto.

The signing of Flemings adds to the Mean Green’s recent history of bolstering their roster with Division I transfers and junior college players. Kendrick Davis was named the Newcomer of the Year in addition to being named second-team All-Sun Belt Conference last season after transferring from Arkansas.

LSU transfer Shawnson Johnson was a third-team all-conference pick in the 2003-04 season, while former Collin County Community College standout Isaac Hines was a preseason second-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection last season.

Arizona State transfer Keith Wooden was a consensus top 100 player nationally following his prep career at Free State in Lawrence, Kan., and will begin a two-year stint with the Mean Green next season. Wooden is part of a five-player class that also includes three junior college transfers: San Jacinto North point guard Ben Bell and Mineral Area (Mo.) forwards Curtis Muse and Jonathan Jackson.

UNT is hoping the influx of talent in its latest recruiting classes will help the team challenge for the Sun Belt Conference title. The Mean Green have finished 14-14 in each of the last two seasons.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com .